
	Platform 3DS Genre Action Publisher Namco Bandai Developer Project Aces ESRB T (Teen) Released November 15, 2011

- Makes good use of 3D - If you like the other Ace Combat games, you’ll find something here to love - Good sound

- Lack of multi-player - Controls can be hit and miss - Inconsistent graphics

Review: Ace Combat Assault Horizon (360) Review: Starfox 64 3D (3DS) Review: Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
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Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy

Score: 7.0 / 10

The Ace Combat series has been around for 20 years and spent an awful lot of its time in the Sony camp before venturing out onto other platforms. Other than the mediocre Game Boy Advance version from 10 years ago, we haven’t seen a version

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- 3DS Game Reviews
- Action Game Reviews
- Games Published by Namco Bandai

for the Nintendo until now. It’s a decent outing, but has its issues.

First of all, the visuals in this game are great – most of the time. There has clearly been some care put into the production. When you are close to objects in the game, you will really get a sense of speed. Sometimes when you are close to a city, however, you be

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disappointed when you get a little too close. The lens flare and sky effects are pretty stunning, however, so it’s easy to forgive a few shortcomings.

The controls will have you switching back and forth between the circle pad, d-pad and touch screen controls in order to carry every out at times which can be at the least an annoyance and at the worst downright painful after hours of play, but it’s really a minor complaint overall.

The game offers three viewing modes (from the cockpit, third person behind the plane and a HUD only first person view) and the soundtrack is a fitting mix for this arcade like experience. I was a little surprised to find quick-time events in the game since I thought we had started that in 1983, bought it back in 2005 and buried it in 2010 but apparently that’s not the case.

With almost 20 missions you’ll find a lot to do (and a second playthrough will be required to get everything in the game) but it all ends there since there is a surprising lack of multi player. It’s quite surprising since the 3DS is much better at online play than previous Nintendo systems. It really knocks the game down a level if you’re expecting it.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy won’t leave much of a legacy behind but it is a decent game and if you’ve enjoyed any others in the rich history of this franchise, you should definitely set your sights on it.

- Syd Bolton

(February 20, 2012)

Syd Bolton surrounds himself in classic games at the Personal Computer Museum (www.pcmuseum.ca) in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.